Abu Simbel

280 km south of Aswan are the four colossal statues of Ramses II sitting majestically in front of his temple dedicated to the gods Ra-Harakhte, Amun and Ptah and, of course to the deified pharaoh himself. The rock-cut façade is about 30 meter high and 35 meter wide. The temple is aligned in such a way that on 22 February and 22 October the first rays of the sun penetrate the temple and illuminate the gods and the pharaoh. Until the temples were moved, the phenomenon happened one day earlier.

Abu Simbel's second temple is the rock-cut Temple of the goddess Hathor, dedicated to Ramses’ beloved wife, Queen Nefertari. Inside, the six pillars are crowned with Hathor capitals. The beautiful reliefs depict Nefertari before the goddesses Hathor and Mut and the queen honouring her husband.